Device for converting reciprocating motion into periodic unidirectional rotary motion



Aprll 4, 1967 D. DRAGANTI 3,312,112

DEVICE FOR CONVERTING RECIPROGATING MOTION INTO PERIODIC UNIDIRECTIONAL ROTARY MOTION Fil ed June 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g INVENTOR. DANTE DRAGANTI .AT TORNEY Aprll 4, 1967 D. DRAGANTI 3,312,112

DEVICE FOR CONVERTING RECIPROCATING MOTION INTO PERIODIC UNIDIRECTIONAL ROTARY MOTION Flled June 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'I' OR DANTE DRAGANTI ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofitice 3,312,112 Patented. Apr. 4, 1967 3,312,112 DEVICE FOR CONVERTING RECIPRGCATING MOTION INTO PEREODIC UNEDIRECTIONAL ROTARY MOTION Dante Draganti, Busto-Arsizio, Italy, assignor to Ofiicina Meccanica Erba & C. 8.2.8., Busto-Arsizio, Italy, a corporation of Italy Filed June 1, 1965, Ser. No. 460,260 Claims priority, application Italy, June 3, 1964, 47,320/64 3 Claims. (Cl. 74-84) This invention relates to a device to convert reciprocating motion into intermittent rotary motion; a device which finds particular, but not exclusive, application in the art of paper working machines to advance step by step and in sequence the sheet to be worked towards the various stations.

Taking into consideration a machine used in the papermaking industry, especially the so-called punching machine, it generally includes a conveyor means comprising ring-shaped closed chains carrying gripper bars which hold the sheet to be worked and which is conveyed step by step into the working station of the machine. Therefore, the control of this conveyor should be perfectly synchronized with the controls of the machine so as to assure correct position of the sheets during the successive workings, performed by the machine.

The known devices provided for these purposes have drawbacks and these devices are very complexed; on the other hand, they do not generally allow correct positioning of the sheet being worked with respect to the working stations.

The device according to this invention eliminates the above drawback-s and assures that the sheet being worked is placed in the various working stations, in the correct position even in high speed machines.

Said device generally comprises a linkage connected to the shaft of the machine and to a toothed rod or rack cooperating with at least one gear; means to support said rack, in two determined positions to establish the engagement and disengagement between the toothed rack and the said one gear, control means cooperating with said means for holding the rack supports actuated by the motion of the machine to synchronize engagement and disengagement of the toothed rack from the said one gear to thereby control the machine in sequence.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the device, the supports for the toothed rod, have stop means which engage the gear and thereby sequentially stop the driven member.

The invention will now be disclosed by the following description making reference to the accompanying drawings given only by way of example which illustrates a preferred embodiment of this device.

FIGURE 1 is an inside elevation view with brokenaway parts of the device according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 during an other position of the operating cycle.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 on a smaller scale and showing suitable drive means for the device. 1

Referring to the drawings, a gear 12 is keyed on a shaft this shaft constitutes the shaft actuating a step by step member, such as a chain conveyor extending along a path determined by stations in which the various operative cycles are performed.

Gear 12 engages a rack or toothed rod 14 which is connected through one of its ends with the connecting rod 13, said connecting rod being driven by crank 15 of the machine. The toothed rod 14 has longitudinal grooves 21 in which ribs 16 and 17 are housed, said ribs being formed in ledges 18 and 19, held by the walls of a frame 20.

In an opening 21 in the frame 32 pivots 22 for rollers 24 are mounted; another roller 25 is provided towards the other end of said frame for the purposes which will be set forth hereinafter. The periphery of these rollers 24 and 25 cooperates with the back of the. rack 14 to constitute a reaction and guide member therefor, particularly when said rack operates gear 12.

Frame 20 includes case 32 which houses co-axial plates 26 and 27 which are received in respective seats 28 and 29 in hubs 30 and 31 carried by the opposite walls of the case 32.

Shaft 10 of gear 12 freely passes, in wide clearance through the openings in plates 26 and 27 previously referred to.

The wall of case 32 has at a suit-able position a bore 34 in which pivot shaft 36 is fitted. The axis of pivot shaft 36 is parallel to the axis of shaft 10 and is conveniently secured to the frame K of the machine to constitute the pivot for oscillating said case as hereinafter disclosed. The case 32 additionally includes a block 38 which receives one of the ends of a helical spring 411, the other end of which engages a stationary portion of frame K of the machine.

The action of this spring urges or rocks case 32 and the respective parts as shown in, for example, FIGURE 1 Block 38 is also bored to retain a screw 4-2 the head of which engages the outer contoured surface of a cam 44 the pivot 46 of which is carried by frame K of the machine. Cam 44 is rotated suitably; for instance, by a connecting rod 48 which in turn is eccentrically coupled with said cam by means of a pin 50. The rod 43 is driven by a linkage driven by the machine.

A toothed sector 52 is integral with the interior of case 32 in a diametrically opposed position relative to the zone of engagement of the rack 14 with gear 12. Said toothed sector engages the teeth of said gear 12 to block rotation of the gear at a predetermined portion of the cycle of operation of the machine.

When rack 14 moves, in the direction of arrow X, the teeth engage thereon with the gear 12, as the housing 32 is rocked about shaft 36 by cam 44 which is in the position of its maximum eccentricity and is in engagement with the roller 25. These conditions are maintained until rack 14, actuated by the linkage previously considered has reached its position of maximum displacement, which generally corresponds to a full turn of gear 12.

During this displacement of the rack 14, the engagement between the teeth of rack 14 and those of gear 12, is assured by rollers 24 and 25 which cooperate with the back of said rack, the latter can thus transmit substantial force without disengagement between these parts. Just before rack 14 reaches the end of its forward stroke, cam 44 which is operated by means 51 during the displacement of said rack, reaches its point of minimum radius, so that case 32, toothed rack 14, together with other parts, are oscillated clockwise (arrow Y) by the action exerted on said case by spring 40. This position of the structures is illustrated in FIGURE 3. It results that the toothed rack 14 is disengaged from the teeth of gear 12 and the teeth of sector 52 are engaged with the gear teeth, thereby stopping motion of the gear together with the parts kinematically connected to it so that these parts are stopped and located correctly.

Subsequently the control linkage for rack 14 returns said rack to the initial position and just before reaching this position cam 44 is in the position of maximum eccentricity whereby case 32 is oscillated in a clockwise direction re-establishing the engagement between rack 14 and gear 12, and the disengagement of gear 12 from the toothed sector 52.

The cycle continues and shaft 10 along with the parts connected to it are driven with an intermittent and unidirectional motion.

Although an advantageous embodiment of this device as applied to machines for the paper working industry has been described, it is obvious that said device, possibly modified and adapted could find application in other machines in which it is necessary to periodically operate in a given direction, any member. In addition to the device described and illustrated, modifications and variations could be made depending on the characteristics of useage and its embodiments as well as its field of application could be varied without departing from the scope of this invention and from the spirit of the patent.

I claim:

1. A motion converting device comprising an output shaft, a toothed gear secured to said shaft, a housing for said gear, means pivotally mounting said housing on a shaft parallel and spaced from the output shaft, a rack slidably carried by said housing the teeth of which are adapted to engage said toothed gear in one position of the housing, gear teeth carried by the housing adapted to engage the toothed gear in another position of the housing, means biasing said housing to urge the teeth on said housing into engagement with the gear carried teeth, control means for urging the housing in the opposite direction against the bias of the biasing means, and means for synchronously reciprocating the rack and operating the control means.

2. A motion converting device comprising an output shaft, a toothed gear secured to said shaft, a housing for said gear, means pivotally mounting said housing on a shaft parallel and spaced from the output shaft, a rack slidably carried by said housing the teeth of which are adapted to engage said toothed gear in one position of the housing, gear teeth carried by the housing adapted to engage the toothed gear in another position of the housing, spring means biasing said housing to urge the teeth on said housing into engagement with the gear carried teeth, control cam means for urging the housing in the opposite direction against the bias of the biasing spring means, and means for synchronously reciprocating the rack and operating the control cam means to cause the toothed gear to rotate during a predetermined portion of the reciprocation cycle of the rack.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 including rollers carried by the housing and engaging the back side of the rack.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,660,527 2/1928 Rober 74-84 2,775,140 12/1956 Loos 74-394 X 2,962,907 12/1960 Dyatt 74-84 FOREIGN PATENTS 401,158 1/1925 Germany. 933,914 8/1963 Great Britain.

MILTON KAUFMAN, Primary Examiner.

FRED C. MATTERN, Examiner.

D. H. TI-IIEL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MOTION CONVERTING DEVICE COMPRISING AN OUTPUT SHAFT, A TOOTHED GEAR SECURED TO SAID SHAFT, A HOUSING FOR SAID GEAR, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID HOUSING ON A SHAFT PARALLEL AND SPACED FROM THE OUTPUT SHAFT, A RACK SLIDABLY CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING THE TEETH OF WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID TOOTHED GEAR IN ONE POSITION OF THE HOUSING, GEAR TEETH CARRIED BY THE HOUSING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE TOOTHED GEAR IN ANOTHER POSITION OF THE HOUSING, MEANS BIASING SAID HOUSING TO URGE THE TEETH ON SAID HOUSING INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GEAR CARRIED TEETH, CONTROL MEANS FOR URGING THE HOUSING IN THE OP- 